My first chameleon

[Jeko]

Hi guys, me and my hitman Leon, are new here.❤ and I am worry about him a lot already

 

[Jeko]

Hi guys, me and my hitman Leon, are new here.❤ and I am worry about him a lot already

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Please fill this out

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.

 

[Jeko]

I got veiled chameleon about 4-5-month-old probably male, and Its been with me since last week. surprisingly, he is very friendly and I take him out every day )

I feed him every day with crickets and small mealworms powdered in repti calcium without d3 but, I noticed that he gained some weight. I give him 4-5 crickets and 3-4 mealworms during the day.

However, I am having a little problem in terms of watering and humidity; I got little dripper on the top of the cage, but I don't see that he drinks that water. I mist the cage 5-7 times during the day to keep up humidity to 50% but, then it drops again very soon. I might need an automatic mister.

In terms of activity and color changing, he is mostly green, but morning time, he becomes slightly dark. He is an active guy, climbs up and down)



I have him in 16 by 16 by 30 " Zoo Med ReptiBreeze kit with natural plant and climbing opportunities. But I think that I am using wrong live plants, it looks like an umbrella plant but I m not sure. I had it at home.



I use lightning which came with Zoo Med ReptiBreeze setup. Temp is between 75-80 at the top 85 sometimes during the day, and night, 75 and below. I paced the cage near the window in 30" from the floor, and we live in Brooklyn NY.

Thanks for your help guys !!!

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Firstly you can throw the lighting they gave you with that kit in the garbage. He needs a white basking lamp not a blue. And he needs at least a linear T5 High Output UVB bulb. His cage size is fine for now but as he matures you'll need a cage no less than 2x2x4. STOP FEEDING MEALWORMS! Sorry but they are no good nutritionaly and they are hard to digest for a chameleon and can cause impaction. You also need to be dusting with more than just calcium. Calcium everyday except 4x a month once a week alternating calcium + D3 and a multivitamin. You should also be gutloading your crickets with nutritional foods such as fresh greens and fruits. As far as humidity I have the same problem here in Colorado. I actually recently purchased a humidifier and a Monsoon solo auto mister for this very reason. Hope this helps. He looks good though and glad you came on here early so you can correct your husbandry before it's too late

 

[Jeko]

Can you please post the pictures of the exact brand of lights and vitamins? Thanks a lot! I will buy a bigger cage for him in the summer.
I actually want to move in Colorado maybe next year and I didn't know if you guys have the same problem in terms of humidity )

 

[Jeko]

I actually don't use that blue LED lights anymore. I have one of these lights that came with kit ...

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Any repti-cal, repti-cal + D3, Herptavite or Reptivite. You'll want a ZooMed 24" T5 Ho linear light with a 5.0 uvb bulb (usually comes with the fixture and needs to be replaced every 6 months), zoo med or exo terra basking bulb between 50w-75w.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

I live on the Front Range and it's basically a desert here so yeah quite dry. Not to mention my furnace going off every 30-45min drying us out. Humidifier will benefit not only your Cham but you as well.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

I actually don't use that blue LED lights anymore. I have one of these lights that came with kit ...

That's a box of garbage right there. Zoo Med should no better than to even sell it let a line put a chameleon on the box

 

[Jeko]

Thanks a lot for your time!

 

[Beman]

Welcome... So here are some images that will assist you quite a bit. Here is also a link to the care sheet. Read through this to get more info. https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/ additional resource link https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/
No lights at night they need the temp drop. no mealworms not good for chams. You should be feeding 12-15 feeders a day at that age. lots more horizontal branches. Need upgraded lighting asap. Basking should be 85 degrees.
You can read through my last thread to get more info specifically https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/new-dragon-strand-clear-side-aka-bemans-mansion.167884/

Let us know what questions you have once you have looked through this stuff

 

[Beman]

As far as the sex... try to get a pic of his/her back hind feet. Like these if you see the little tarsal spur then you have a male. If it is smooth no spur you have a girl. Yours will be small at that age but you will know if it is there or not.

 

[iMi]

Good luck, they are awesome creatures. If you're like many people here, you'll be hooked and will find them weirdly fascinating. Do some research on your own and read as much as possible. If you simply do some homework and understand his needs, they are actually very easy to care for and very fun to watch.

 

[Jeko]

As far as the sex... try to get a pic of his/her back hind feet. Like these if you see the little tarsal spur then you have a male. If it is smooth no spur you have a girl. Yours will be small at that age but you will know if it is there or not.
View attachment 224211View attachment 224212

He is a boy Thanks for your help...

 

[Beman]

He is a boy Thanks for your help...

Congrats you have a baby boy. Your welcome.

 

[Jeko]

Congrats you have a baby boy. Your welcome.

Do you know if this forum has a mobile app to download?

 

[Beman]

Do you know if this forum has a mobile app to download?

Hmmmm I actually do not know. I would search Chameleon Forums in your app store to check

 

[Jeko]

Thank you !